Aviation Crash Map

Boeing 747-400 HL***

30 November 1998 · Jamaica, New York, United States · Minor injuries

Summary

On 30 November 1998 at about 15:45 local time, a Boeing 747-400 registered HL***, operated by Asiana Airlines, was involved in an accident near Jamaica, New York, United States. 5 people were on board. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 15:45
Classification
Accident
Location
Jamaica, New York, United States
Nearest airport
John F Kennedy Intl (JFK)
Coordinates
40.6509, -73.7893
Aircraft
Boeing 747-400
Registration
HL***
Category
Airplane
Engines
4
Operator
Asiana Airlines
Operating rule
Part 129: Foreign
Purpose of flight
Unknown
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Anchorage → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
NYC99LA029

People

Injuries not recorded.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
5 0 0 0 4

Probable cause

The first officer misjudged the clearance between the right wing and the crane. Factors included the subcontractor's unauthorized placement of the crane in the taxiway safety area and insufficient oversight of the subcontractor's operations.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane struck a crane that was next to the taxiway, in a taxiway safety area. The first officer watched the right wing pass over a flatbed truck, several feet outboard the 'number four' engine nacelle. He thought the wing would also clear the crane, which was outboard and past the truck. The airplane continued taxiing, and the right wing struck the crane, causing damage to that wing, and causing the crane to topple over, and eject the occupant. The only conversation between the crewmembers during the 46 seconds prior to the accident, was a 'right side clear' callout by the first officer. The crane had been located in the taxiway safety area by subcontractor personnel, who took it upon themselves to remove safety barriers. There were no supervisory safety personnel at the accident site.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Boeing 747 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
11 Nov 1998 Boeing 747-400
HL741
Anchorage, Alaska, United States Asiana Airlines Minor injuries -
5 Oct 1998 Boeing 747SP
ZSSPF
Mopzambique, Mozambique
no coordinates
Linhas Aereas de Mocambique No injuries -
1 Dec 1998 Boeing 747-259B
N621FF
Miami, Florida, United States
no coordinates
Tower Air No injuries -
18 Apr 1998 Boeing 747-200
N623FF
Atlantic Ocean
no coordinates
Tower Air Inc. Serious injuries -
5 Aug 1998 Boeing 747-400
HL749
Seoul, Republic Of Korea
no coordinates
Korean Airlines Unknown -
31 Jul 1998 Boeing 747-400
N671UP
Cologne, Germany
no coordinates
United Parcel Service Unknown -

All 429 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
31 Aug 1998 Boeing 727-200
N722DH
Jamaica, New York, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
18 Jul 1998 Cessna 172K
N155AA
Chateaugay, New York, United States - Serious injuries -
20 Jul 1998 Miehl TEAM HI-MAX-1700R
N3546V
Jamestown, New York, United States
no coordinates
- Minor injuries -
20 Jun 1998 Cessna CE-500
N41SH
Fishers Island, New York, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
28 Nov 1998 King KITFOX IV
N9724F
Gasport, New York, United States - No injuries -
14 Oct 1998 Piper PA-32-300
N8619N
Dunkirk, New York, United States Castle Aviation Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States